


Scales and Gills

by EzmEmily



Category: The Hobbit, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Love, Mermaids, Multi, Romance, Sex, Will she fall for the Dragon or the Hobbit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-13
Updated: 2015-01-13
Packaged: 2018-01-12 05:37:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1182542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzmEmily/pseuds/EzmEmily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I suck at these so read if you will</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Scales and Gills

**"Come out my pretty I know your there .......Don't be shy now, step into the light"**

_(Be still, don't move an inch. Maybe he'll go look somewhere else and then you can make your escape.)_

**"Come now my pretty you can't hide forever ... I know your somwhere here, I can smell you ...You are so close"**

 

_(Damn ... oh god, what am I going to do. If I move I'll be roated to death in seconds, If I stay were I am lord knows what that beast would do to me when he finds me. Oh why did I come up here, Bilbo was safe petrafied but safe. Why did I come up here try and to do what he couldn't. Why? Why did I come up here to kock over a crown to then knock over a box full of coins to then crash loudly and wake that monster up?)_

You were asking youself many questions as you hid in your tiny space just inches away from the great dragon who was looking for the one who had woken him from his slumber....You

**"Your smell is diffrent my dear not quite human, it is very interesting, tis a smell I have not come across in my fourhundred years of living. Why don't you come out and enlighten me"**

_(Ha fat chance....If only I was in dashing distance, then mabey I could....)_

Your thoughts were cut short due to his huge tale hitting into your hideing place. You were sent flying a few feet across the room before sliding down a steep hill of coins and jewls. Your trip ended when you hit something, something hard and scaly

_(oh god ..he's found me, god help me)_

You prayed to every god that was known and hoped one could hear your prays. The beast leans in and says with a voice that could spilt the sky

**"Looks like our little game has ended my pretty. Now let me look at you. Let me see what has woken me from my slumber"**


	2. Chapter 2

You stood before the great red and gold dragon. Smaug the Magnifisent. He was huge larger than the tallest giants of Middle Earth, he stared at you with his lagre eye that burned with more intensety of fire, his arrow slit pupil narrowing and growing as he studied you.

**"Tell me my dear just what are you. You are not human though you have the apperance of one, but there is another side to you, another sent. Just what are you"**

Oh that voice, that voice that could make the bravest of men fall to there knees and beg for there lives

_(Oh God he can sence the other side of me, my true form, but he can't quite tell, his confustion should give me time)_

I could see that his lighting bolt tale was just by my exit and my entrance, a small body of water. His head moved around me like a lion stalkng their prey his tale moved slightly

_(Yes thats it move around me, get a better look at me)_

**"shuch a pretty interesting creature, but quite"**

his tale was just about out of the way it was now or never. I sprug up and made a dash for the water is so close to freedom but one mistake cost me that. One little trip. I tumbled to the ground greeted by the hard crash of coins and other bits of treashure, before I could move Smaugs tale went across my back not quite crushing me but still unpleasnt amount of weight. With his tale of lighting his caused a land slide of coins to block up my escape route

_(No)_

**"My, My you seem very desprate to get to that small pond of water. Why is that?"**

I remained silant. I would not tell this beast my secret that only my travlers knew, the only one I trusted to open up about my true self was Bilbo. I would not tell HIM, God knows what he would do with me if he knew.

**"You are going to have to tell me sometime, do I get a name"**

"Nerissa"

**"Beautiful name for a beautiful creature. So will you tell me what the other half of you is?"**

"No"

**"Well then I guess I will have to find out for myself"**

_(What did he mean by that)_

**"You will remain here with me till I know the truth and why you have come here"**

_(Oh God no....Bilbo and the others had better hurry. I don't know how long I can test this dragons patience)_


	3. Chapter 3

For those who have not yet guessed Nerissa is a mermaid, and Nerissa means daughter of the sea. This chapter is just fleshing out the character more. Happy reading)

_(Ahhh God this feels good, so much better after all that walking and running for our lives. It's just so nice to finally relax and stretch your fins out)_

I was just relaxing in a lagoon by camp, it was great to finally get away from the group they drive me crazy being a mermaid I don't really like anyone who is not a fellow merperson. I had good reason to as well dwarfs knowing their reputation is easily understandable why not to like them. The only ones I got on well in our group was Bilbo and Gandalf, Bilbo was nice for a Hobbit and Gandalf was truly wise and understanding. I knew the reason why I was here anyway, the dwarfs only needed me for my skills and magic but truly I did not care that there that a dragon had taken over their city and stole all their gold and treasure, you could find much more beautiful treasures in the sea anyway. But when I learned the identity of the gold thief I was more than willing to come along. Middle Earth had praying for this monsters death. Smaug, the King under the mountain.

_(It may not be salt water but this feels good on my scales)_

I was distracted by the thoughts by a snap of a twig in the bushes and hushed whispers. I knew who it was

"YOU BETTER GET OUT OF HERE YOU LITTLE PEVERTS OR YOU WILL BE SORRY"

I heard the bushes shack as two figures I knew all to well fall over one another. Fili and Kili, nephews of Thorin

"SPIEING ON ME HEY, I'LL TEACH YOU LITTLE BASTARDS"

I made a snake out of the water of the lagoon and sent it after the two little pervs. I smiled as I could hear the screams and yells as they tried to fight the snake

_(Ha morons do they know you cant kill water, that should keep them busy so I can enjoy my bath)_

My peace was shot lived as I heard another twig snap behind be. I dove into the water and conjored up a ball of boiling water witch if it touched would make your flesh melt right off you bones

"COME OUT OR YOU WILL BE SORRY"

"Hey, hey clam down friend not foe"

Oh it was just Bilbo

"Blibo what have I told you about sneaking up behind me"

"Sorry Hobbit habbit I guess"

"Yes, well careful I nearly thew some boiling water at you"

"I will keep that in mind I do not want to be on the resiveing end of your powers. Anyway thats not why I'm here I heard you shouting at someone"

"Not someone, somebodies"

"Have Fili and Kili been peeping on you again"

"If peeping is slang for perving at me while I'm trying to have a bath the yes"

"You know how those two are, you didn't string them up with water ropes again did you, it took us ages to get them down last time"

"No, I simply gave them a little play mate"

"Define play mate"

"Nothing just a simple water serpent"

"Thorin is not going to like that"

"Well maybe if Thorin could keep his nephews under conrol I would not have to teach the little bastards some manners"

"I talk to Gandalf for you"

"Thank you Bilbo"

Bilbo was the only one who understood my *alone time* but I alway enjoyed his company. I slid up on the bank where Blibo was sitting with his Hobbit feet in the water I noticed he was looking at my tail

"Bilbo"

"Hmmmmm"

"Why are you looking at my tail"

"I-I--I I'm sorry it's just i-i-it's just very beautiful"

"Yeah ......I like to think so"

"But it looks a little duller in colour than the last time I saw it"

"Yeah it's due to lack of salt"

"Is that a problem because I can go get you some"

"No its not a problem" I loved the fact that Bilbo was so polite towards me

Looking down at my tail, my scales that shone a bright blue were now a pale shade of blue. I was born in salt water rockpool normally mermaids were born in warm lagoons or ponds but I was different, you see I am not a pure blood mermaid I am only half. My father was a merman and my mother was a very powerful witch I grew up in both worlds land and sea, the summers I would spend with my mother and winters in the sea with my father. I loved spending my summers on the warm land but I loved the time with my father more the sea just called to me, I was born in water after all

But that all changed when I was sixteen. I was with my father at the time when I got a message from a dolphin, being a mermaid I could speak in the tounge of many of the marine life. The dolphin told be that my mother had been waiting for me to come ashore but she had been killed by dwarfs, they killed her for the gem stone around neck the source of her powers it was a huge opal with a water snake around the stone it gave her a connection to my father. My father consumed by rage over the death of my mother went ashore to hunt down the dwarfs who killed my mother only for her pendant, now you know my hatred for dwarfs but the tragedy continued I heard word that my father was also killed by dwarfs. So for 8 years I was alone on family and no friends, in the sea that is I never got on well with the merchildren. Merpeople don't take kindly to those who are not their kind or half like I was but I never needed them I had my father to be there. So not welcome in the sea I turned to one of my mothers friends on land I was taken in by another witch and a elf, they loved me as if I was their own

As well as my adopted brother and sister being half elf and half a magic being they were tall like elf's and adored the light but their magic was stronger than a normal elf. I loved my adopted brother and sister dearly we would play in the summer light all day I would show them how to swim and they would teach me magic. My powers had to be learnt I was not born with these talents.

Our elf father would often tell us stories about Middle Earth but then one told us often was the story of how the dwarfs lost their kingdom to the great dragon. Samug. Me and my adopted siblings would often make our fathers stories into games I mean we were kids after all my brother would play the dragon and me and my sister would be the towns people trying to slay the beast those were the good days, but some day instead of playing with my siblings I would sit by the big pond at the back of the house my adopted mother would always made sure I was ok she told me how my real mother was a good person as well as a great witch  

I knew she was


	4. Chapter 4

It had been days I've been in the dragons keep, I was surprise I was still breathing in and out my body felt weak due to the lack of food and sleep. I had been to afraid to sleep, fear that Smaug would devour me that and I did not have a body of water to sleep in. As a mermaid I needed things that other creatures didn't, like I needed to be in water to sleep I have tried to sleep on land but it was just impossible. I missed my kelp bed. I missed the sea no I craved water salt or fresh I had not seen my tail in days.

"I've been giving you name some thought my dear"

(Oh crap ...... he knows)

"Your name translates to daughter of the sea. Am I correct"

"Yes"

"Do you have a sea town home my pretty"

(Phew thank God)

"Yes"

"Is it by chance Laketown"

"No its far, far from here right on the coast and far out to sea"

"Your town is also on water.....where is this place you speak of"

(Shit .....think)

"Shoretown Oh Smaug"

"You humans are very unimaginative when naming your home towns. But you are not human are you? your only masked as one. Tell me my dear what is your kind at Shoretown?"

(Oh great now what do I tell him)

"I'm waiting little girl"

(Come on, come on)

"Our town is of mixed people Oh Smaug"

"When you say mixed what do you mean?"

"Humans, Elfs, Dwarfs"

Smaug's eyes narrowed and he turned his mighty head in like he had heard the most unpleasant of things

"I detest Dwarfs" he spoke in a growl

"You are not the only one"

"Why have you come here I can smell dwarf on you"

"I was forced to come along with them"

"What purpose did they bring you for" He said leaning right in

"For my skills"

"And what skills would they be my dear"

"I cant tell you" (I wouldn't tell him)

"Very well if you wont tell me I'll just have to find out. I like a good riddle and you are proving to be a worthy task my pretty little riddle"

Well that should give me more time for the others. Where are they must have wondered were I had gone. Even some clue after the argument with Thorin

"Tell me my pretty have you ever seen a dragon a almighty as me"

This must be the famous Smaug vanity I heard so much about from the other dwarfs I had seen dragons, They were the great reptiles of the sea, they were huge some big as icebergs some lived in the coldest parts of the deepest oceans and rarely came to the surface other would swim around wherever they pleased. though lacking the wings of the land types they had fins that could cause the most powerful waves that could smash corals, rip up reefs and kill thousands of marine life

"I have seen dragons, but I must say non as glorious as you Oh Smaug the great" (I'd best stay on his good side)

"Other dragons? what other dragons"

"From my home land but they are since all gone now"

"You must speak of the dragons of the sea. The weaker of our kind no wings no fire"

"Yes quite" I didn't really think that sea dragons could cause as much havoc as ones of the land

My skin was so dry and starting to crack my legs were burning my scales were begging for me to get some water on them, and to top it off my body began to smell this is not a problem when I was with the other I batched everyday and I slept in water so it was never a problem human problems were filthy and worse I think Smaug was beginning to notice

"Your smell is most ...unpleasant"

"Were am I was suppose take a bath"

"I may have a place for you to bathe, I can't have my pretty little riddle sitting in her own body fluids"


	5. Chapter 5

(This is a little more backstory and a bit of the movie and book storyline. Don't kill me if it is a little diffrent, remember that I'm not writing a proper Hobbit story)

I woke up to the sound of little pebbles hitting the water and sinking down to the bottom around me, a few strayed and hit me on the head

(Ouch, what the?)

At least they are not huge stones. I was curled up in a pile of stones and pond weed, not the most luxury of all beds but it was great for a mermaid

plob, plob, plob

The little pebbles were still hitting the surface I could see them breaking the surface as I opened my eyes

(Time to get moving I suppose?)

I was often rudely awakedned by members of the company throwing things in the water, and they wondered why I had a bad temper throwing big stones or pebbles on my head was not a nice way to wake a mermaid up. At least Gandalf and Blibo were consideret when waking me.

Gandalf would charm fish to tickle me awake with was nice and pretty cute I lyied there letting the little gold fish swim around my body and between my fingers like little golden ribbons. It was peaceful till one of those idiout Dwarfs threw a huge log almost on top of me, making all the little fish scatter into plants and small caves in the rocks

Bilbo would often wake me early by gentaly patting the water with his Hobbit feet, it was a calm way and a sweet way. I would swim up to the bank and sit with him till the others would wake up and talk with him, he told me about the Shire where he and all the Hobbits lived and I in turn told him of my life in the sea and land. His eyes would light up like two bright stars as I told him stories from my childhood and the ways I would describe the ocean. I in return felt warm inside when he told me of his home, his Hobbit Hole with endless rooms and halls leading to bedrooms, bathrooms cellars, pantries (lots of these), wardrobes (he had whole rooms devoted to clothes), kitchens, dining-rooms, all were on the same floor, and indeed on the same passage. The best rooms were all on the left-hand side (going in), for these were the only ones to have windows, deep set round windows looking over his garden and meadows beyond, sloping down to the river.

His life was so........safe and cosy, he did not look the advenchrous type. Hobbit what little information I knew of then is that they liked to stay in a routine and disliked anything that involved danger of going far from the Shire

"So what made you want to come on this quest" I asked one morning when we were talking whilst splashing my tail gentlely out the water watching the water running down my scales till they reached the pond

"I guess the Took side of me that had been buried suddenly shot to the surface, and I guess it would be nice to help the Dwarfs reclaim what is rightfully theirs" Bilbo replyied "What about you"

I did not care about the Dwarf kingdom, from the stories that have been passed down thought the years it was the Dwarf king's falt that his kingdom his people and his lands came to desolation. The kings greed was great he had a vast room filled with gold and ritches right to the celing, not all of it Dwarf. A great amount of his wealth came from other kingdoms. The Elfs, Humans, other Dwarf kingdoms all had to pay tribute to the King under the Mountain, even from the sea. Once the merpeople had a vast monarchy and every year had to pay a vast amount to Erebor, the one things that Mermaid valued the most was pearls.

Pearls were highly valued by Merpeople, they came in all shapes and sizes, some as small as a poppy seed some as big as a mans head. The more pearls you had the more important you were. And of course our King and Queen had the most. Our king had crown of them. The white coral would crul around his head and the pearls would be stuck all over it coving the whole thing. The Queen had a elegant crown that settled on the head as if it were a halo and had little white gems and pearls dotted neatly around it, but to show off her status as queen she had a number of peals around her neck ad arms they would spiral up and down her arms like wild ivy, she had pearls stuck in her hair that glittered like dew in the early morning when the sun hit them 

The King under the mountian demanded that the Mer King payed tribute to him every year. And so unwillingly our king and queen would go to land and walk amounst the air breathers. Not that our king and queen were just as greedy as Dwarf, they were anthing but they were a good king and queen. But Dwarfs and Merpeople had a bad history, Dwarfs would always try and steal our pearls as their own. You would think that Dwarf couldn't swim and you would be right, they are far to fat and stumpy. What they did was catch a Mermaid or Merman, cage them like a canary for weeks till he was so hungry and craved water he or she would do anything to be set free, it was not good to keep a Merperson away from water they went a bit mad even murderous if they were kept from their home for to long. I was immune to this since I was only half. So when the Dwarfs have almost driven the Merperson almost insane they would strike a deal with them but you kow Dwarf's and their deals. They would make the Merperson steal pearls and bring them back to them and to make sure they did swim off they would put a chain though their tails, extreamly painful if they tried to tug and get away, The chain was of strong meatal so they could not break it. So whe the Merperson had come back with as many pearls he or she would demand to be set free but the Dwarfs would only cage them up again till they had another use for them. They would make them dive down to human ships to get all of the goods and treasures or intot the cracks of small underwater caves to mine precious stones. When the Merking found out tat the Dwarfs were kidnapping his people for slaves his demanded that he let his people go, but the Dwarf king said he would let them go if he and his queen would pay tribute to him with pearls and other gems and treaure or he will keep his people in his keep for ever

Our king had no choice but to agree. So all the Merpeople were allowed to leave back to the ocean to their familys. So now you know why I hate Dwarfs, they had caused my kind so much misary and spilt the blood of my mother and father and made me a orphan so why would I even consider help a Dwarf let alone a group of them. It was to pove something. To prove I could be brave

One time when I was little I was playing in a lagoon with the other Merchildren....well really I was on my own playing with a baby dolphin with its mother watching. Dolphins made great playmates and were better the Merchildren anyway. We were playing toss the seashell when the dolphins mother pushed her baby out of the way, I turned my head to see a huge set of jaws coming at me. It was a tiger shark and a big one to. I manged to get out of the path of the shark but he turned around quickly and bit down on my tail and began to drag me into deep water to finish me off but I was saved by my father he cut the shark across the face he let me go and in a cloud of blood I sawm away. My father found me in a rockpool crying with my tail in the water, blood flowed in like a crimson stream. He tried his best to calm me and heal my tail but just kept screaming and crying. All the other Merchildren saw he whole thing and days later teased me, called me a coward. I was no coward

Also my other reason for coming on this trip. It was said that the Dwarf King had kept all of the Merpeoples treasure in a room deep in the Mountian. The tales said that the room was filled to bursting point with all the pearls and goods. I wanted to get some of these, to give them back to kin. It was only right it was Merpeoples pearls anyway. I know they have not been kind to me since I was only half blood. But they are still my people and I care for them.

"My own personal goal" I replyed to Blibo

"Witch is?" Blibo asked

I was about to reply when Thorin came out of the bushes towards us

"I see Master Baggins and ...you have woken" Thorin said to me. He did not like me very much, maybe because I'm always having to teach his nephews proper manners

"Would it kill you to say my name Thorin" I spat at him

"Watch how you speak to me fish I will not have you on this quest if it was not for your skills. But really we have Gandalf with us so I don't see what value you are to us"

I stopped listening when he had call me fish. I hated being called that, doesn't this stupid Dwarf see that I a only half. Woman on top fish on the bottom.

My anger caused the water around me to boil and turn slighty red causeing Bilbo to make a high yelp and pull his feet from the water. Thats another thing about mermaids you don't want to get us over emotinal. Thorin backed away slighty he was a little afraid of my temper and my magic he had his wepon at the ready half drawn from his belt.

"MY NAME IS NOT FISH ...IT'S NERISSA" I screamed back at the startled Dwarf

"She has a point Thorin" Bilbo spoke up rubbing his slightly pinkish feet "You could adresses her by her name and not her.....kind"

Thorin looked at Bilbo and then to me before turnig around and speaking in a small voice

"Master Baggins .....Miss.....Nerissa. Be ready we are soon to be off" And with that he slunk off like a child who had been scolded.

My temper calmed and the water slowly bubbled down till it was noraml again. Bilbo came up to me and crouched next to me.

"Sorry about Thorin, he's not noramlly like such an ass ...well he is a bit but no that much"

"It's fine Bilbo. At least you got him to call me by my proper name"

"Your welcome" Bilbo smiled

"You may have just saved him from my anger"

"You sould learn to control that temper when you are in your true form" he said rubbing his feet

"Oh I'm really sorry about your feet are they ok? I forgot they were i the water."

"They are fine really. Now how about I get you some sardines on toast"

"Oh you are a saint"

I was happy to have a friend like Biblo with me


	6. Chapter 6

"You have a place for me to bathe"

"I do, and I will gladly show you"

"But how. If it is not rude of me to ask Oh Smaug how wil you move though the mountain"

"Dragons have their ways my pretty riddle"

And with that Smaug was consumed in scarlett smoke. I could not see in frount of my own nose, I chocked and spluttered as the smoke gathered around me I could hear the great dragon roar and growl but I culd not see him. I was scared I was in the this thick smoke blinded my nose and eyes stung at the sulphur gas I felt sick almost as if would pass out

Finally the smoke cleared but there was not sign of Smaug. All I could see was the vast hoard of gold and treasures but no sign of the dragon

"Smaug" I called out

"Yes my riddle" a beautiful yet dominant. I turned around to a sight I could not have come up with in my wildest dreams but what stood before me was the most beautiful human male I have ever seen he was tall, dark and handsom with a tall, lean figure and wavy dark locks and skin that was as white as snow but his eyes. His eyes were not human, they burned with a intence amber and scarlett with a black cat slit pupil.

"This can not be the dragon. Dragons can't shapshift can they, this is impossible"

"You seem startled my riddle. Did old tales never tell of shapeshifting dragons, your god's and wizards are not the only one's with magic my dear. Now I belive I said I had a place for you to bathe"

I stood there trying to gather my thoughts in my head. Dragons could change form as well. I started thinkinh back to the old tales that my father and mother would tell me when they were alive, they said that only really powerful dragons possesed this gift and they could change at will and they change would happen in a shroud of smoke. Mother told me that dragons would use this abbilty to get into places that they could not reach and then change once they were inside change back to their true selves and take over the place and all it's riches. Father would tell me that dragons would rather die or lose all of their gold to theives than be in that form, because being in human form was dangerous and risky not to mention they would rather die that have a apperance of a human. As I once siad dragons were very vain, with iron scales teeth like swords claws like spears and of course wings like a hurricain. To them humans were not more of an annoyance and food and would never risk being caught looking like one. But I used to think that they were just stories used to entertain my curious mind

"Are you coming or do I have to drag you" He said with a snister smirk on his full cupid bow lips, his forked tounge flicking in and out like a snake

"Coming" I said and followed the dragon though the mountian

I followed the dragon in human skin till we came to a huge arch door the paint was dark blue and from what i could tell had carvings imbeded intot the wood, but the wood was badly scorched and burnt, no doubt from dragons fire. I noticed this when walking though the hallways of the mountian kingdom that the walls and floors, nearly all of them had bad burn mark and were covered with soot and ash. Smaug must have used his fire to burn out any remaining dwarfs hiding in here somewhere

Smaug pushed down hard on the door and it fell open, with pieces of wood falling down and hitting me on the head nearly there was a massive could of dust as the door had not been opened in years Smaug walked inside and I followed.

Inside the room was beautiful even with all of the dust covering the place in the middle of the room was a mssive stone and marble bath, the bath had these amazing carvings on them they were of fish and what the bottom of the sea looked like, the pillars were dolphins and on their backs were mermaids. I had to give it to dwarfs there were very good at design work. but my amazment turned to anger when i noticed the on the mermaid stachue on the back of the bath on a marble arch was had a chain wrapped around her neck and the the chain was being held but a dwarf wearing a crown made of gold with real gem stones set in it.

"does something displease you my dear" Smaugs voice suddenly said

"No..no just some dust in my eye" I couldn't let him see my anger at the stachue and give the game away

"You lie. I will not press you for awnsers my riddle. As I've said I am enjoying uncovering your true self piece by little piece, now you may bathe. And don't think of going anywhere my dear, I have your sent and should you try make your mistake I will hunt you down and burn you till you are nothing but a pile of ash. Understood"

"Understood oh Lord Smaug the mighty"

And the dragon turned and left the room. I wondered why this dragon was being such a good host dragons do not care for anything but there gold and ritches. Did they? What if he knows about my other side and wants to put his theory to the test. Giving me a false sence of sercurity and then watching and waiting for his moment. I quitely moved over to the door and bent down to look in the keyhole expecting to see and gold eye staring back into mine but all I could see was a empty halls and no spying dragon.

The smell of water in this room now was unbearable. When I first entered the room I could smell it even with all the dust and soot, it called to me. I ran over to the large gold taps shaped like lever and pushed it up. The taps at the bottom were so rusty fom the years of lack of use but I managed to push it up, the taps made a funny clucking sound and I was worried that they would not work and I would have to go back to the treasure room and ask Smaug if he was still in his human form for help. But then suddenly to my relife the taps pored out staeming water. I had not seen water in so long t was a beautiful sight now to see it rushing out filling the bath. I placed my hand under the water to test it and quickly withdrew and dryed it on my clouthes. My skin were the water had been was now back to its white creamy self and not the dirty flesh colour.

I was desprate to get in the bath and be my true self again I could not wait to see my beautiful tale. When removing my clouthes I spotted some things on the stone table across the room, they were shells that had these little coloured stones in them and I wondered what they were, they didn't look like gems and when I picked one up they were soft and squishy to the touch they felt like jelly and they colours were pale and you could see right though them

I guessed the dwarfs my have used them in the bath in some way so I tossed one in. The bath quickly turned all foamy and bubbly and I grew even more exsited to have a bath. It reminded me when my mother used bubble charms to make my bathtimes more fun. I dove in to the water not careing that a load of water went over the side all over the floor

I swam over the the side and hoisted myself onto one of the pillairs and smiled when I looked down. Once again I was presented with my tale, now pale white in colour but I was happy none the less


	7. Kindness of the Dragon

I lost count of how many hours I had been in the marble bath, it was so good to be in my real form and forget that I was in a dragons keep.

I could not think why he let me bathe in the first place. Dragons were heartless, greedy things and cared for nothing but their gold. But him. Him. He let me use this bath and has not yet killed me or burned me. I guess me keeping my true form from him was the only thing keeping me alive. Dragons liked a good riddle. What would happen if he solved mine

I pushed the thought from my head, the less I thought about it the better. I just let myself become one again with the water. I loved the feeling once again on my tail. I wanted to slosh and swim around like crazy, it was big enough for that. But I was not going to make any noise that took Smaug's attention, so I sat on the side keeping me tail in the bubbles and foam

It was then I thought of how much I missed Bilbo  
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"Shut your face Dwarf, it's not his fault. It is your own blind desire that nearly got him killed and woke Smaug up. You are lucky he did not destroy Laketown" I hissed

"Why should I care about Laketown" Thorin spat "My kingdom is under rock and now I have no chance. All thanks to him"  
he said pointing at Bilbo standing behind me "I can never take my rightful place as king. And that _Slug_ will have my crown, my wealth and the Arkonstone forever. And it's al thanks to our Master Baggins here"

"Thorin I.." Bilbo tried to say

"Be quite...Hobbit filth" Thorin shouted and made a lunge for Bilbo

I drew Sting form Bilbo's belt and held to Thorin's throat, pushing Bilbo out of harms way

"You touch him and I will make sure the Oakenshield blood line stops here. What has happened has happened, all can not be lost for sure we will find away"

"You know nothing you cowardly aquatic harpy" Thorin shouted 

"How dare you" I growled 

"I do not expect a fish to understand my loss. Your filthy kind nether will, you even more so since you are only of half blood"

I felt whit hot anger burn in me like a great fire and tears that threatened to spill, the sword shaking in my grasp

"DAMN YOU ALL" I screamed as I dropped Sting and ran for the nearest body of water I could find. We passed a small lake when running away from the dragon I headed for that. Running though the trees pushing the branches jumping over rocks in my angered run to get the the lake. Finally my nose caught the sent of fresh water and my eyes saw the moon of Duransday gleam on the waters surface. On the rock ledge I jumped not caring I was fully clothed or I still had my weapons on me. I just jumped into the air and dived into the water letting my true form come out, the water swirled and bubbled, my legs became my tale and I was once again whole

I swam under a small opening under the rocks, curling into a ball a started to sob. How dare that dwarf say that about me and my kind. He dare call me a coward. I was no coward. I'll show that idiot dwarf 

"Narissia. Where are you Narissia? It's me Bilbo"

I surfaced and saw Bilbo standing on the bank on the far side, looking around in the water trying to find me in the gloom

I swam up and almost banged heads with him

"Bilbo" 

"Oh thank heavens you are here. I thought you would have kept on running and running"

"No. I am just really livid with Thorin, but I will not abandon you. Not when that false king is angry at you"

"It was my fault...if I was more careful"

Tears formed in Bilbo's eyes and there was pain in his words. I cupped his face sharply and said

"No Bilbo. It was not your fault. It was an mistake. And anyway Dori should have given you a more proper picture on what the Arkenstone looked like. Not just large and white."

Bilbo sniffed and smiled a little. I heaved myself out of the water and sat next to him

"I mean there are hundreds of different types of white gemstones. You have Pearl, White Opal, White Jade, Star Sapphire, Moonstone. The list is endless. And Dori could have given you a hint on texture. Like is it rough or smooth? is there more than one colour? Is it...."

"I think I get the picture" Bilbo laughed

I leaned back on my hands and looked up at the full moon glowing though the clouds. I sloshed my tail back and for

"What's so special about this rock anyway?" I asked

"Dori told me that when some dwarfs where digging in the low tunnels under Erobor. They found it. It was far more beautiful than any other gem they have found. The king took it as a sign of his divine right to rule"

"Hmmpt. So they find a much prettier lump of rock and the King thinks it makes him some kind of God"

"Pretty much" 

"Dwarfs" I mutter 

I turned my head and saw Bilbo staring at my tail again

"You know if you look any harder it will turn grey" I giggled

Bilbo's cheeks turned a shade of pink

"Sorry, sorry. I just can't get over how pretty it is. Narissia?"

"Yes"

"What do your kind use as jewellery?"

"Umm Starfish, I like to stick them to the corners of my head to keep my hair out of my face. Umm shells, bits of coral. I liked to use pretty things I would find and make them into jewellery. Why do you ask?"

Bilbo's blush grew redder and soon his face was as red as a ripe tomato

"I um found this in there when we escaped Smaug's lair. It mush have gotten caught on my jacket buttons when I fell head first into that pile of treasure."

Bilbo handed me something in my hand. It was a perfect golden seashell on a thin gold chain

"I figured since you liked seashells and it was so pretty I thought you might like it" said Bilbo blushing, he was scrunching his jacket so tight in his hands, when he let go it looked like a crumpled piece of paper

"Oh wow. Thank you" I said putting it on "Its beautiful"

At that moment I could have sworn Bilbo muttered "So are you" But before I could voice a question, a hand snatched the gold shell around my neck and the thin chain broke like a spider thread and then it was tossed into the middle of the pond, the moon shattered like glass when the surface was broken 

"You bring this to your fish, but not the Arkenstone"

Thorin. How dare he

I grabbed the wanna be king by his thick coat as tossed him with animal like power after the golden shell. He landed with an enormous splash, Bilbo only managed to get out of the way of the wave of water and behind me. With my magic I stopped the wave and sent it after Thorin to bring him to me. Thorin was dragged from under the water and to me. We were face to face 

"How dare you" I spoke in a calm yet intimidating voice 

"How dare you!" Thorin yelled "How dare you try to drown me. A king"

I crushed my hand tighter and the water that binded Thorin grew tighter 

"Not. My. King" 

"I will be. My name will ring from the halls of Erobor once more and everyone, including your kind will bow"

"Never. I am done with this quest. I am done with your treatment of me and Bilbo. I am leaving, now. Are you coming Bilbo?

Before Bilbo could answer Thorin cut it

"Coward"

"What?"

"I said. Coward. You and those slugs that crawl on the bottom on the seas are all the same. Always running, never fighting. My grandfather never did anything so great as to make your kind slaves"

I wanted to drown him. I wanted to drag him down to the dark depths and watch his life eb away. To feel his last heartbeat on my hand and to see his eyes close for the last time. But I was no killer 

I got my tail fully out of the water and the second it touched dry land it turned into legs and my clothes were back on 

I let Thorin down and began to walk away. I was going home, back to my foster family 

"Wait Narissia come back" Bilbo called but I did not turn around. I had, had enough

"As I said. COWARD" Thorin yelled after me

I sprinted off int the wood and stopped in a clearing 

How dare he say those things about me, my people. I will so show him. I will show all those filthy dwarfs 

The moon came out from behind the clouds. And then, as if it were a sign. Behind the trees was the tall frame of

The Lonely Mountain 

 


End file.
